Cath Cox & Cat Healey | Samantha Wallace-Joseph exits the NSW Swifts and Bec Bulley parts ways with the Firebirds

Published Jun 14, 2024, 10:27 AM

Sarah Karaoglu is joined by Catherine Cox AM and Cat Healey to discuss the exits of Samantha Wallace-Joseph from the NSW Swifts and Bec Bulley parting ways with the QLD Firebirds. The panel also previews a HUGE round 10 of the Suncorp Super Netball.

This podcast was recorded prior to the news that the Queensland Firebirds had parted ways with head coach Beck Bully, effective immediately. The Firebirds media statement reads, the Queensland Firebirds and head coach Beck Bully have agreed to partway's effective immediately. Assistant coach Lauren Brown will fill in as caretaker coach for Sunday's sun Corpse Supernetball match against the Melbourne Mavericks. Nepele Queensland CEO Kate Davies said this mutual decision was not taken lightly and thanked Beck for her hard work and commitment to the Firebirds during her tenure. Beck has worked tirelessly since her appointment in July twenty twenty two. She has worked tirelessly to foster a positive culture at the club and has helped forge strong links to our club's past champions. It is a legacy she should be extremely proud of. Davy said. With Beck's passion, experience and work ethic, I am certain she has a bright future in the sport. The time of Beck's departure is right for her and her family and our focus is supporting her along our staff and members of the playing group. The statement also reads Any longer term decisions on the coaching arrangements at the club will be determined at a future date. No further comment will be made at this time, with the club preparing for Sunday Suncorp Super Neple Round ten match against the Melbourne Mavericks. Well, hello and welcome to another episode of the Fourth Quarter. I'm your host Sarah Carraglu and joining me today is netple legend Katherine Cox and journalist Kat Healy. It's a pleasure to have both of you with me. We'll get straight into it though. We have some breaking news out of the New South Wales Swifts camp today. The New South Wales Swifts have confirmed that they have parted ways with Samantha Wallace Joseph Coxy. Huge news means a lot for the season for the Swifts. They're already in a bit of disarray. What do you make of this breaking news?

Yeah, it's interesting because the press release we've seen is not dissimilar from what we already knew and that it was behavioral issues. The only real difference now stating that they've gone their separate ways says mutually as well in that press release, which is interesting, but we could see the writing on the walls, couldn't we. I mean, I first noticed a bit of disruption in the Swift side back in Round seven in that massive loss to the Adelaide Thunderbirds, And at the time we actually put it to Bryan yaik Or with Sam Wallace okay, looked a little kind of separated from the team to a degree. And that press release has said that this has been going on for a couple of weeks, so that is around about that time. So really interesting, obviously devastating for the club. There's going to be huge implications on them, but there's going to be some big implications to Sam Wallis Joseph obviously as well well.

In the press release it does say the behavioral stands it expected of everyone in the Swift's environment, across players, coaches, and staff is team first and there are no exceptions to that. Kat, what did you make of this news?

Yeah, it's not a shock after all the reports we've had lately. She hasn't fronted up for the team at any game lately. We knew she was benched to start that Thunderbirds game. She and shot the five goals in the twenty minutes. We thought then she might have been injured, and then the rumors sort of started from there. It's just odd that this isn't the first time teammates have had a falling out in any professional sport. But it's obviously enough that they have decided to part ways. It's leaving the Swift with a massive hole in their attack end. You know, we know that they let Ramelda Aiken George go after last year when she got them to the Grand Final. So it's a big loss for the Swifts and their season is just it's absolutely hanging in the balance at the moment. So it's a big call to make with only the few games to go now and finals still really on the line.

Well, what does this mean for both part Coxy? Obviously there's been a lot of talk on social media in the coming weeks that outside noise, all of it unverified, but that outside noise obviously has an impact on the playing group. But as you said, they missed out on locking down Romelda Aiken George. They chose to go with Samantha Wallace Joseph. Where to now?

Well, I think the big thing is, as it says in the press release, this has been going on a couple of weeks. So that means that's a couple of weeks that Brian E Aikle hasn't been able to find a substitute player, a permanent replacement player. That's going to be the next step for her. So I'm sure the club, whilst this is a really upsetting time for probably all parties, will want this done now the decision is made. They will want this done. They will want to move on because they do have the rest of their season to focus on, as you say, and the first big step for the club will be to find that replacement player. They can't go playing a season with just the three. They've got Grace White now in there as well, but it is important to have somebody else in there in that position that's now left available in case they need to call upon them.

In your experience, can you think back of a situation where a player has exited mid season like.

This Absolutely hasn't happened unless it's been due to an injury or something or maybe form, But certainly hasn't been a player leave a club mid season that I can recall, No.

And what impact do you think that will have on the playing group.

Look, if it's been a disruptive time. I think the playing group will want this done as well, so they can also move on and focus on the rest of their season. And certainly the overhanging disruption that it's been would have been a massive part. I think the timing of Maddie prowd coming back is so so crucial because they'll need that leadership there from her just to lift a side, to maybe refocus, to plan what they're now going to look like for the remaining part of this season. But I think everybody at this point will just want this all done tyres cut. They can move on and they can focus on something without all the noise.

Well, speaking about moving on, Kat, who do you think would be in contention? Who would Briany be sussing out as a potential replacement for Samantha Wallace Joseph.

And no, okay, it's not me, I'm not fare.

We're alluding to you coming out of retirement Cox.

Here, you definitely still have it. It's such a tough one for the switch though, because everyone's sort of locked in. You know that the England locked in, the New Zealand comps locked in. If you're going to look at state league and local level, well, they're better off sticking with Sophie forms and really getting Grace White that experience. So they're kind of in a really tough spot now. The timing is terrible to them replacement wise, so I think they're better off just sticking with what they've got. It's I mean, it's not the right answer. There is no winner out of this. Basically that attack end is going to struggle without Sam Wallis Joseph, but there just isn't an obvious experienced replacement like Sam Wallas Joseph Is Well.

Will continue to monitor that story as it unfolds. Obviously breaking news today, but there will be more to come. I'm sure we're going to learn more about what unfolded and also who that replacement will be. But more news on the horizon. Let's move on to the Firebirds. We've had some rumor circulating that beck Bully could have potentially coached her last game. What do you make of that, Coxy, Do you think that this is something that is on the cards?

Yeah, Look again, I'm not surprised by this, as you just alluded to, because it has been the rumblings at the club for the last probably two years. At the start of last year, there was the sacking of Sarah Bayman, a lot of questions around that and the timing of it and why that happened, And we heard right throughout the year that there may have been some players that weren't overly happy with beck Bully as the head coach. And they came seventh last year as well. So aside from all of that, the performances aren't on the board this year. It's gathered massive momentum. I think that talk it's getting louder. So if something was to happen now, I don't know that anyone would be overly shocked, but again it is a mid season decision, which is very interesting. Also to note that Rosalie Jenkie, former head coach of the Queensland Firebirds, has been sitting on the secondary bench since round six and now looking back at that, has she been sitting there because potentially she's going to be thrown into the caretaker coach role if something does happen to Rebecca Bully. So it's all very unusual, but maybe some of those decisions are now starting to add up a little bit.

We will reiterate this is just rumors, This is all speculation, but Kat what have you been hearing going around in the netball circles.

Yeah, we've been hearing that Becky is very blunt with her message and it's something that she herself admitted last week pregame talking to Fox Network, she said, you know, she's very honest, she's very direct. Sometimes that doesn't work for every player. It's not a sort of one message fits all. So I think maybe the rumblings have been there. She hasn't quite got the right message that some players want. But yeah, as Kat said Rosalie Jenkie, she's a premiership winner. She's there, beck said, she's she's been in a mentoring role. Is that all she's sitting there for. We know that that took that time away for a bereatment in the family, and since then it just seems to be unraveling a bit for her. She is signed until the end of twenty twenty six, so it's a big deal if they were to cup ties with her. We knew when she took the job that it was going to be a rebuild. They weren't expecting her to sort of take the fire beds back to the top of the table. But yeah, to think that they would let her go in the middle of this sort of rebuild that they're doing, it'd be a really big call to upset the balance that they'd be working on.

And it's a good point you make, because signing a rookie coach to a four year contract in itself seems a very very strange thing to do, and if you're going to do that, you've got to back them in. But then, of course, the flip side is if it is a group of players that's not happy with your coach, you also now have to make a stand because you want to sign those players next year. And if you don't make a change in the club when those rumbling are potentially a lot louder this year, then what happens to that particular group of players? Do they then go elsewhere if they're not happy with the current situation. So there's a lot to be thought about. But I did think it was odd that the four years was up for negotiation in the first place.

What would you have thought they would have tabled in the first place, Because it is odd to make this call in the middle of a season. I would think that the ramifications it could have on the players and the team, You've got to think they can still make finals. Although they are sitting at the bottom of the ladder, it's not impossible. So to upset that apple cut is a very interesting decision.

Yeah, it is. And you know that's why I guess this is a lot more based on personality, it sounds like than performance, because yes, their last but they've they've been showing some signs of you know, form this year and they've got some great color of player in there. But you know, with a rookie coach, you'd probably be looking at one year or a trial period or something before you go to a massive four year contract. So you know, maybe the leadership need to have a look at itself and some of those decisions. If you're going to make those decisions, do your coaches have the support that they need, because not forgetting this is now their second coach in three years. Meghan Anderson was their prior just for the two years as well, And I just feel like, if that's the case and they're churning through the coaches so quickly, is there enough support there for them?

Do we think Rosalie Jenkie is that coach that they need.

Look, they've done the Rosalie Jenkie thing and she was fired as well at the end of twenty twenty. But she did bring a lot of success to the club.

You're right.

She was there for what eleven years or twelve seasons or something rather three premierships, so she does come in with the experience. She's also the mum of Macy Gardner that plays in the mid court there.

Who is killing it.

Mind, you remember killing it having a brilliant season. So I mean she's got the knowledge of the club, the system. She's been there at an elite level as a player, as the coach, so certainly as an intram coach. If that's the path they need to take, it's not a bad decision. Whether or not she's the long term fix for them, I'm not so sure.

All right, Well, let's move on now, we'll continue. It will be very interesting. We'll monitor to see if beck Bully is a part of the coaching staff this weekend. Again, this is all speculation, but the room and mill is definitely heating up, So stay tuned on Fox Netball. Everyone will have an update for you over the weekend, hopefully, if not beforehand. Moving on now, now, the Diamond squad has been named, but there are still four spots up for contention. Cox, I'll go to you first. Were there any surprises in that list for you?

Probably the biggest surprise for me was no m Mannix. I thought she would have been in the squad. She is listed as an invitee, doesn't mean she can't make her way into the squad, But aside from that, there's no names in there that shocked me. I think there are all players that have had brilliant seasons, lots of experience in there, as well of players that have been there and done it. It doesn't worry me at all that we were a jeppie of losing a gold medal coming anytime soon.

One you'd be particularly happy with. I'm sure Georgie Horny.

I am.

And do you know what, I really love this. I had a good chat with her dad at the pub actually, and he said to me, do you think Georgie would ever be selected for Australia. I said, I absolutely think she should be, not so sure that it would ever happen. So it was great to see her in the squad. Love to see her in the team. And if there is a time to be selected in the team, it's now where Australia is probably a little light on in terms of goal attacks at the moment.

Kat Any surprises for you. What did you make of the squad list that dropped last week?

Yeah, the Maddie Prouder mission. I was surprised by that. I don't feel like her form's been terrible. Yes, she's been injured, but so was Courtney Bruce and she still made the cut. So to see her left off was disappointing for her. Ruby Bakewell dooran to get I mean she was a reserve for the World Cup and she's totally slid right down that pecking order now, so that was disappointing for her, not sort of at least get named. I feel like she's still in the hunt for one of those last spots. Tara Hinchcliff is another. She's having a great year. She's someone who's represented Australia in past five you know, she's she's got the leadership, she's got the skills. I was surprised to see that she didn't get named. And really the Lucy Austin one. I was a bit perplexed by that. Is that because of her height? Because I feel like someone like Sophie Thorne should really be in front in the pecking order. She's somebody who's nailing forty goals a game. She's been around, she's got the tempo, she's got the experience. But Lucy was the invitee. So I'm just a bit unsure why they went that way. I think it's the height that got her the nod ahead of Sophie, But yeah, I was disappointed for it for Sophie Thaughn's not to be the invitee over Lucy Austin.

Do you know there was a couple of gut reactions from me when I saw those invitees. I think they're both very different invitees and that m Mannix is a very viable option to be elevated into the squad. For me, Lucy Austin is an invitee that you want in the environment you want to give that time to. She may not play for Australia, but I feel like the selectors may have wanted her in that environment to see how she can improve amongst that sort of day in, day out training and that sort of team. So yeah, my gut was that it was very different selections for both the Mannix and an Austin in that invity position. I agree with you.

Well, it's not solidified. There are still four spots up for grabs and an interesting one, an interesting talking point that has been going around the room of Miller as well. Shimona Jock. Do we see her as a viable option for that cat squad?

No, my gut is no. I just we our style, the Australian style, doesn't rely on that really tall holding shooter. You know, Sophie Garvin has certainly proven her work as a shooter. Car Conin's proven herself as a shooter. Now Wallam is there as a shooter. And Stecey Marinkovich just talks so much about versatility. She loves players that can play multiple roles and unfortunately for Shimona, I don't think she can. I think she is just the shooter. I know she has played goal attack in the Victorian League, but you know, Janelle's already trying to fight her way into that goal. She just got solely as a goal shooter. So I don't think there's room for the two of them.

And my other thing with that is is I think if Jamaica suddenly offered her a position, that's what she would choose. She would choose to go to a homeland and Ramelda Rake and George is currently part of that Jamaican side. But she's thirty five years of age. How much longer is she going to play?

Very impressive? Can I just say yes?

But Shamona Job could have that position available to her son and I think she would choose her homeland over Australia if that was an option.

Well, you mentioned the goal We have got a lot of great goal shooters, but you forget she's played a goalkeeper before. So if we have a few injuries down that end of the court, we have like seven. Let's move on to the round ten ProView more opportunities. Four players to try to solidify their position in the starting squad for the Internationals Giants coming up against the Thunderbirds this week. We saw how the Giants were revitalized with their co captains of returning to the court last week. I don't know if it's as impressive as what we saw from the Thunderbirds though, no.

It's probably not. I mean both off the back of losses. The Giants was only a four goal win over the bottom of the table Thunderbirds, though sorry Firebirds and the Thunderbirds eighteen goals over the top of the table fever. So I mean, I feel like they're both coming in with their own level of confidence and maybe a little bit of momentum, but by comparison, I think they're chalk and cheese. And also the fact that the Thunderbirds won in round four by the twenty goals, so it's going to be a tough one. I mean, the very juicy dangling carrot is they can jump into equal fourth the Giants with a win, which is crazy to think off the back of the season that they've already had.

Kat, what are you thinking of this matchup?

Yeah, the Thunderbirds have hit form at the right time of year. This is exactly where ten year ogs would want them to be. They didn't start the year that great, and you know, they did drop that game to the five Birds, which that in itself is a shock, but from here they found perfect formed. It just shows how much of an influence Georgie Horges has. She missed that game. She comes back and all of a sudden, that attack end looked so crisp. It was absolutely beautiful and its freed. Taylor Williams up, I feel like this is the timing year that they're really humming. And yeah, as cav said, the Giants, who would have thought they could still be in finals contention after the start that they had, You know, they were nowhere near it. At the start of the year. They weren't up to the level that they needed to be. With Joe and Jamie Leebag, they're a completely different side. Maddie Hayes only getting better every week. You know, she had such serious surgery, so it's no surprise at it. You know, it took her a few weeks, but she's found her feet. But yeah, it's just a remarkable to think that there's that one spot still available for finals and it could be the Giants. That's not the giant juicy carrot that Kath talked about. I don't know what is.

And before we move on, Julie Fitzgerald her four hundredth game for the Giants this weekend well National League, which is massive. I don't think that milestone will ever be beaten. It is huge, and I think she deserves all the accolades this week.

And I think You've got some pretty incredible stories that I hope you share about your time under Julie. A few late pickups I hear Coxy.

Yes, that is definitely a chat for another day. She did say ring us if you need to pick up from the pub, so we did. It's not our fault.

An incredible coach and like you said, I don't think there will be somebody to top that milestone ever, and the relationship you have with her is a testament to the coach and person. She is so pretty incredible figure in our game.

Absolutely, absolutely, let's.

Move on to the Lightning and the Vixens. I think the probably the Lightning might be the only bogey team for the Vixens. How do we think this showdown is going to go this The Lightning are also in the hot seat to solidify their spot in the top four.

Yeah. Well again both bringing momentum. They're both off back at wins last week. The last meeting was the Lightning by the seven, which is as you say, it was the only loss for the Melbourne Vixens this year. And I feel like the Lightning really are starting to find their straps a little bit. And understandably it takes a bit of time when there's been disruption. You know, Steph Wood's been in and out, particularly at the start of the year with injury and manage load a new player like Lizzie Watson. They're trying to fit into that lineup when you already had such a playmaker like Steph Fretwell. And then you know Courtney Bruce being out for the last few weeks as well, so she'll be back which will give them a big boost. She did miss that game when they played in Round six as well, so she'll be a big boost for them going into this contest.

Again, Kat, what are you making of this matchup?

Yeah, I like the Bruce's back. She's still on the manage minutes though, so I don't know that we'll see a full game out of her half injuries something quite serious, so they're just trying to build her back. The thing about the Lightning is their lack of super shots and their lack of cohesion in attack when it is that last five minutes. I feel like they're always the most dominant side for the first ten minutes of the quarter and then they sort of lose their way come super shot. Sometimes they're bringing Riley on and she's coming on cold and really expected to sort of nail those super shots. We know Cara Cone isn't taking them, and I actually don't have a problem with her not taking them. It's not something that we play international, so I don't see what the benefit would be for her game to be trying the long distance shot when that's not something you know she'll be doing when we come up against the likes of New Zealand. So I like her still keeping her focus on that baseline. But it's just finding Belinda Reynold's finding that balance of when to get Riley into the game and not putting too much pressure on her in that super shot to just come on and now then because that just hasn't worked for them. Those last five minutes of every quarter is what's really letting them down.

Well, I think one of the most exciting things about this match is the amount of talent and combinations on display, and an opportunity for some combinations to show off what they could do on the international stage. Potentially it's a bit of a fight for a starting spot in the Diamonds. I would think we will take a short break, but when we come back, we'll unpack the final two games of the round. So stay with us here on Fox Netwall will be right back shortly. Hello and welcome back to the fourth quarter. Joining me, Kath Cox and Kat Healy. Let's rip into the final two games of the round that we will be previewing, starting with the Mavericks and the Firebirds. Obviously, we've just covered off that news that Beck Bully, it's rumored, could have coached her last game. If that is the case, what impacts will this have on the club?

Kat, I think it would be such a tough call to do. It's so mid season. Their season is literally on a nice edge. They can still make finals, which that in itself is remarkable, but they'll have really big games coming up. There's one against the Swifts and there's one against the Lightning. They are two absolute must win games for them. I think it's Round twelve and Round thirteen. If they can't get wins for that, it's game over for them. The MAVs is going to be a great challenge for them to really see where they're at. So I just don't know if it's the right time to be, you know, really making the big moves. They're still in with a chance. If it was season over, I could understand, But mathematically they're still in it and you've got to be in it to win it. So fingers crossed they can get the job done against the Mavericks and put in a better performance than what we've seen the last couple of weeks.

Yeah, well the last meeting it was the MAVs by seven. So it'll be interesting because again both of these sides are off the back of losses. It seems to be all the ones that lost last week of playing each other, which makes it interesting in round ten. But I think they would have learned a lot from that game as well, and I reckon the mAbs are one of those sides, you know, similarly to the Lightning, that are finding a little bit more form and momentum as the season goes on, and again understandable for a side that just you know, was put together from scratch at the start of the year. So that could be a really interesting game. The Firebirds could be fired up just to make a point depending on what happens, but also I think the mAbs will have something to say about the rest of their season and some sort of control over it.

Can we shout out to amazing name Deebll as well. She's playing with her broken nose, She's got the absolute strapping on there and she's still out there getting the job done. So she's expected to front up with against the Firebirds again. I mean, that's a tough ass, broken nose taking the cord and just how I don't even know how she can break how she's running with that thing on, So very impressive from her.

I think there's going to be a lot of players coming out firing Ruby Bakewell, Dorian. We touched on earlier how she was omitted from the Diamond squad. There's still an opportunity for her to make the squad. Do you think that she'll come out firing this week?

Cox here, Yeah, there's plenty of people with points to prove in the second half of this season, and whether that's two coaches that are there or aren't there, to players that have missed out on Australian squads, to ones that you want to put their hand up for a starting seven positions. Still going forward with finals on the line, there's lots at stake. Still it is round ten, there's still another what five games to play before we hit the finals, so it's an important period of.

Time moving on to our final game of the rounds. The Fever and the Swifts both teams want to bounce back obviously one is carrying a little bit more weight coming into this game with the news that Samantha Wallace Joseph is no longer a part of that outfit. How do you think that's going to impact their performance on the weekend.

Look, I think the beauty for the Swifts given this week and that announcement is that they are on the other side of the country. It could not have come at a better time. They will want to get over there away from the noise of the East Coast and all of the rumblings, get over their folk some what they're doing with this new look side that will be their side for the rest of this season and try and have a decent performance. And as I said, Maddie Proud being back in the side is a big boost and a timely boost given what they're dealing with. But they've got a big turnaround, they've got a big ask. It was sixteen goals to the Fever in round four when they played and that was in Sydney, So they're now heading over to the West and it is a fortress at roc Arena. It will be a big challenge in itself, but I think they'll also be a fair bit of relief off the shoulders of those players. This announcement is now out there. They can get over there and they can focus cat would you agree.

Yeah, one hundred percent. That's the best thing for them to get on a plane, to be gelling together, time together. That's the only thing that's really going to try and unify this side is just to get away. You know, they'll be staying in the hotel. They'll be able to, you know, do everything together, really bond and that's what they need. This has obviously been such a distruction for them. We've seen the Swift season just unraveling in front of us. But it's really it's a tough us to go to Perth. There'll be more than ten thousand people there, without a doubt, all cheering against them. They'll be in green it is. It's the toughest trip in Netbell to come over to ric Arena and get the job done. And I just I don't know if they can do it without a tall holding shooter. I just don't know if they can get the job done. I feel like Fevers Defense End Sunday Area Fran Williams know they will suit the Helen Howseby Sophie form's combo. But these two sides, you know, they like to throw off the thriller. Every year it seems to be only one goal in it or two goals in it aside from that earlier game that Kat spoke about. But yeah, the last few years they've really matched each other well. So we'll be interesting to see how this one plays out.

And how dearly would the Swifts love that go to Perth get a win, come home, all the noise is done and the focus is then on them and they're great win and then maybe what happens in the rest of the season. I mean, that would be the perfect scenario for them. I think going forward for the rest of this season.

Have to agree. Well, we'll have to wait and see. One thing that we know for sure is with all these headlines, it's going to make for a great weekend of netball. Coxy Kat, thank you so much for joining us on the fourth quarter pleasure. Thank you and to all of our viewers. Make sure you tune in to all the action on Fox Netball across the weekend.

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Sarah Karaoglu hosts The 4th Qtr Podcast, the Official podcast of Fox Sports Australia and Fox Netba 
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